Consider the following statements: 1. James Mill was highly critical of Indian religion and culture. 2. William Bentinck announced in‘1835, that Persian was abolished as the court language and was substituted by English. 3. ‘Wood’s Despatch led to the establishment of university at Calcutta, Bombay and Delhi. How many of the statements given above are correct?

James Mill

• James Mill was a Scottish historian, economist, and philosopher, best known for his work "The History of British India," published in 1817. In this work, Mill offered a comprehensive and deeply negative assessment of Indian civilization, including its religious practices.
• He considered Indian religions particularly Hinduism as deeply flawed and regressive.
• He described Hinduism as an amalgamation of superstitions and idolatry, characterizing it as a religion that fostered irrational beliefs and practices. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Judicial reforms by Lord William Bentinck

• Lord William Bentinck, who was the Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835, announced significant changes to the linguistic policy of the Indian judiciary.
• In 1835, he issued a resolution that abolished Persian as the official language of the courts and replaced it with English. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Wood's Despatch (1854)

• Wood's Despatch was an important educational policy document sent by Sir Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control of the East India Company, to the Governor-General of India in 1854.
• It laid the foundation for modern education in India.
• The Despatch recommended the establishment of universities in India on the model of the University of London.
• Following the recommendations of Wood's Despatch, universities were established in three major cities:
  • University of Calcutta: Established in 1857
  • University of Bombay: Established in 1857.
  • University of Madras: Established in 1857.
• These universities were the first modern universities in India and played a crucial role in the spread of Western education in the country.
• The University of Delhi was not established as a direct result of the Wood's Despatch. It was established much later, in 1922. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.